UNESCO-listed musical instrument stifled in Afghanistan

Wood shavings littered the floor of Sakhi's cramped workshop in the Afghan city of Herat as another rubab, the national musical instrument of his homeland, took shape under his deft hands.

Featured Image

In this photograph taken on December 22, 2024, an Afghan craftsman Sakhi uses a hatchet as he makes Rubab, a string instrument of dried mulberry wood from deserts, at a workshop in Herat. Wood shavings littered the floor of Sakhi's cramped workshop in the Afghan city of Herat as another rubab, the national stringed instrument of his homeland, took shape under his deft hands. Sakhi has crafted two rubabs a month for decades, and he refuses to set down his tools even as a Taliban crackdown strangles music in Afghanistan. (Photo by Wakil KOHSAR / AFP)

2024-12-29 09:56:42

Wood shavings littered the floor of Sakhi's cramped workshop in the Afghan city of Herat as another rubab, the national musical instrument of his homeland, took shape under his deft hands.

Sakhi has crafted two rubabs a month for decades, and he refuses to set down his tools even as a Taliban crackdown strangles music in Afghanistan.

This article is in our Archive

Login to read for free! Register to create an account